Checkout 51 Review: How To Save on Everyday Purchases

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Checkout 51 is a free cash back app that pays you when you buy your usual grocery items and upload the receipt. Earning cash back and saving money with the Checkout 51 app is pretty easy:

Check out the offers for the week

Shop at your favourite store (any store)

Photograph and upload your receipt

Get cash back!

I love saving money, especially if it happens when I’m purchasing items I need to buy anyway. This is why I also use other money-saving cash back apps/websites like Ebatesand Caddlewhenever possible.

About Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is a money-saving app/website that allows users to upload receipts from their grocery shopping and earn cash back on qualifying purchases. It was founded by Noah Godfrey, Andrew McGrath, and Pema Hegan and launched in Canada in 2012.

In 2014, they branched out to the United States where they have also built a massive following.

How Does Checkout 51 Work?

I found using Checkout 51 to be pretty easy. Unlike the physical clipping and stacking of coupons, using Checkout 51 is neither an “art” nor a “science,” it’s just easy!

Browse offers available for the week. Categories of items on offer include: Bakery, Dairy and Eggs, Personal Care, Meat and Seafood, Medicines, Beverages, Babies and Kids, Snacks and Sweets, General Home Supplies, and many others.

Go shopping and buy products at any store.

Take pictures of receipts with your phone (camera) and upload on Checkout 51. If you are using the smartphone app, you can just use the camera button to scan and upload the receipt.

Get cash back – they will review your receipt and credit your account. You can cash out when your balance reaches $20 or more.

What I like About Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is the closest cash back app we have in Canada to the Ibotta app which gets rave reviews in the U.S. Caddle is also another app I use for cash back and paid surveys. However, I find that product offers on Caddle are not what we usually buy, and not as varied.

Here are some of the benefits of Checkout 51:

1. Everyday Grocery Items: Product offers on Checkout 51 are for routine items you buy when you go grocery-shopping. This makes it very easy to get cash back since you are buying things on your grocery list.

2. Easy to Cash Out and Earn Cash Back: With some cash back offers up to 30% of the normal purchase price and the ability to claim some offers more than once, it’s pretty easy to reach the $20 payout threshold.

3. Shop Anywhere – Including Online: Checkout 51 offers are usually not store-specific. You can buy product offers at any store as long as they issue you a receipt, even online stores like Amazon etc. qualify. For online orders, you will need an itemized packing slip as proof of purchase.

4. Double Up on Savings with Other Rebate Apps: If you use other rebate apps that ask you to upload receipts, you can double up on your savings/cash back. Unless otherwise stated, if the rebate apps have the same deals for the week, simply upload the same receipt on both apps, and presto – you get double cash back on the eligible item!

5. Stack Up on Coupons: “Crazy couponers” can save even more money by applying multiple coupons (store discounts, manufacturers’ coupons, etc.) plus uploading receipts to earn cash back. Generally the appearance of the coupon discount on your receipt does not invalidate your cash back offer.

6. User-Friendly Website and App: Checkout 51 is easy to use and accessible on several devices including desktop, tablet and smartphone. With the smartphone app, you can easily scan receipts and upload them directly.

7. Bonus Offers: There are other regular bonus offers. For example, this contest to submit a grocery receipt over $60 for a chance to win $500…

8. Referral Program: When a friend signs up using your referral link, you both get a $5 bonus!

Cons of the Checkout 51 App

I really have no problems with Checkout 51. Hey, they give me cash back on groceries I would buy anyway! What’s to hate?!

The one thing I think they can improve on is their limited cash out options. Currently, you need to wait for “snail” mail to deliver your cheque, and that can easily take 2 weeks or longer. A Paypal or direct deposit option would make payments easier and so much faster.

Okay – another minor thing that may count as a downside of Checkout 51 is the lack of a referral program that enables you to earn some money from referring friends and family. Caddle , Great Canadian Rebates, and Ebates have such a referral program.

Conclusion

Cash back apps like Checkout 51 will not make you rich, but they can return some significant cash back savings if you do a lot of grocery shopping.

My Checkout 51 Review

Product Variety and Offers

Participating Stores

Ease of Use

Value

App

4.7

Summary

Checkout 51 is a money-saving app/website that allows users to upload receipts from their grocery shopping and earn cash back on qualifying purchases.